Satyarthi said he went there himself because the activist who had detected the bonded children had been identified by some locals.

“I did not want to give him this responsibility to rescue the children as he could have been attacked,” he said. “I was once attacked in this area seven or eight years ago.”

But as Satyarthi landed there with his team, he himself got recognized as a Nobel prize winner.

“In no time a large number of people gathered and began shaking hands with me. Everyone welcomed me. And we easily rescued the children as our women activists entered the workshop and spotted the kids.”

The rescued children will be taken to a centre run by Satyarthi’s NGO for rehabilitation, he said. The workshop has been sealed and a police case has been filed against the absconding owner.